Helen Thorpe, left, who will be honored at the Fall Gala, and kickoff party hostess Susan Daggett. (Denise Gliwa, Special to The Denver Post)

Denver author Helen Thorpe will be honored when the Denver School of the Arts Friends Foundation hosts its Fall Gala on Sept. 28.

Thorpe is being honored for using the arts to inspire others. Her best-selling book, “Just Like Us,” is the basis for a play by the same name that will have its world premiere next month at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. She is also the first to be so honored by the Friends Foundation.

The announcement was made when 100 leaders from Colorado’s arts community gathered at the Denver home of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and his wife, Susan Daggett.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, left, with Dr. Chris Ott and Jeremy Simons. (Denise Gliwa, Special to The Denver Post)

An unexpected rainstorm caused what had been planned as a lawn party to take place inside the Bennet/Daggett home.

There, foundation president Janet Meredith thanked everyone for coming and announced that the gala would begin with a tea party reception and art extravaganza and conclude with a performance of the all-school musical, “Beauty and the Beast.”

Festivities will be at Denver School of the Arts, 7111 E. Montview Blvd., with tickets starting at $150. Reservations can be made online or by calling 303-249-3123.

Daggett, a DSA Friends Foundation board member, said Thorpe’s award is part of the foundation’s new effort to expand relationships and interactions between DSA and the community. These include working with arts administrators to increase programs and opportunities for schools in low-income neighborhoods.